Vacchetta Tarot (Giovanni Vacchetta 1893): Knight of Swords

Swords were typically depicted with curved blades in ancient tarot decks to distinguish them from staves. They correspond to the playing card suit of Spades, (in Italian, spada means sword). This suit represents the element Air, and the social classes of Nobility and Military. Swords are considered a Masculine suit. Swords typically represent intellect, reason, mental clarity, and the sciences. They may also represent conflicts surrounding the questioner.

The Knights typically concern teenagers or young adults. They may represent impulsiveness, higher learning, enthusiasm, questing for experience and knowledge, change and opportunity, growth, and confidence, sometimes false confidence.

Opinionated. Hasty. Action-oriented. Communicative.

The Knight of Swords is often taken to represent a confident and articulate young man, who may act impetuously. The problem is that this knight, though visionary, is unrealistic. He fights bravely, but foolishly. In some illustrations, he is shown to have forgotten his armour or his helmet in his rush to war.

Reversed Meaning:Scattered thought. Disregard for consequences.

This card can represent a clever liar, secrets, or a sly and deceitful confidence trickster. It may also warn that an intended path would be a terrible mistake, or more precisely, that reconsidering one's actions would be a wise decision.